


Russia x Reader: Sudden Sunflower

by SepiaDawn



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: I'm Bad At Tagging, Other, Russia, Slow Build, Vacation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:47:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28454835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SepiaDawn/pseuds/SepiaDawn
Summary: You weren't planning  on going to Russia anytime soon,  but your boss had other ideas. Now you're going to be with him for a month. You don't know him very well, but his personality is intriguing. Perhaps you'll enjoy your stay after all.
Relationships: Russia (Hetalia)/Reader
Comments: 8
Kudos: 21





	1. An Abrupt Trip

**Author's Note:**

> (Y/n)= your name  
> (C/n)= country name (I’m treating it as a fictional country as opposed to an existing one)  
> (B/n)= boss’ name (your president, prime minister, etc.)  
> -I will be using they/them pronouns for the reader.
> 
> -I am perfectly okay with asking for updates, please ask for one if you want it.
> 
> -I take requests! Whether for this story or a new one, feel free to send one in.
> 
> -I will not include any NSFW, pedophilia, or incest, so no need to worry about it.
> 
> -If there is anything that may trigger you, please let me know, and I will include a warning. I do include warnings for gun mention, yelling/fighting, abuse, and anything else I see that may make people feel uncomfortable. 
> 
> *I know that some people in this fandom tend to romanticise Russia’s violent behavior and condone it with bad excuses. To avoid this, I am presenting Ivan as a lonely character that does not always treat people kindly, but not to the point of violence. I do not seek to create problems, but if there is one, please tell me.
> 
> On with the story.

"(Y/n), pack your bags, we're going to Russia!"

You nearly dropped your phone as your boss made his cheery announcement.

"What? Since when?"

"Since today! Russia's boss wants you to meet him so we can negotiate a trade deal." You began to stammer through a response, but he cut you off. "I'm sending a taxi to your place tomorrow, make sure you're ready with enough stuff for a month." With that, he hung up. You sighed. There goes your relaxing day off.

So...Russia. You'd only seen him at a couple of world meetings, and he'd hardly acknowledged your presence, but he showed tolerance towards you. Hopefully he wouldn't be annoyed by your presence since you and your boss would be there for several weeks. Another sigh left you, more worried than annoyed this time. You looked at your closet. I wonder what the weather's like in Russia right now.

***

Ivan was having a similar experience at his house as well. He'd just gotten off the phone with his own President. The man had only said 9 words.

"(C/n) will be here tomorrow, secure the trade deal." He wasn't expecting company; he hadn't had anyone come visit in so long. He stopped himself from drifting into depressing thoughts of the past. Instead, he would prepare his home to welcome you. He didn't know you well, but he was sure it wouldn't be hard to figure out what you liked based on your country's culture. Perhaps he could call his sisters over to give you a warm welcome in his otherwise cold home. But first, food preparations.

***

You and the taxi driver lugged 3 suitcases into the hangar, looking for (B/n) to be waiting at one of the jets. You twiddled your thumbs, anxiety building as the time to head out fastly approached.

"The 10 AM to Moscow, on time," said a man, placing a hand on your shoulder. You instantly jumped before realizing it was (B/n). A relieved sigh left you.

"Don't scare me like that. Are you sure we have to do this?" He nodded, leading you into a government jet.

"A trade deal and potential alliance with Russia is exactly what (C/n) needs right now." He sat down and got comfortable in one of the seats, gesturing for you to do the same. You complied.

"An alliance? With him? I don't mean to sound rude, but he doesn't always have the best intentions." He waved his hand dismissively.

"He's calmed down by a lot since the 20th century, remember? That whole arms race thing he had with America is over." You were about to speak again but he cut you off, putting an eye mask over his face. "There's no need to worry (Y/n). Just go to Russia and enjoy yourself, try to make a friend. You need more of those." With that he fell asleep.

You took his words into consideration. Perhaps you had been a bit isolated for the last few decades. (C/n) was a bit left out in the globalization of the late 80s, and it greatly affected your ability to connect with other nations. Well, there was Alfred. A laugh almost escaped you.

Maybe (B/n) was right. It had been a while since you really relaxed and enjoyed the company of someone else (mostly due to (B/n)). You resolved to put your own eye mask on and hope for the best.

***

You woke up flying over the ocean. The sight of near endless blue from your seat's window was as equally terrifying as it was beautiful. Your boss had pulled out his laptop and was typing away, sipping on some coconut water as he did so. Typical.

"Ah, (Y/n), you're up. Come here." You sat next to him on the small couch within the jet to see his screen.

"I forgot to tell you exactly what the trade deal said. So here, we're importing Russian technology, maybe even some weapons, and exporting some things that grow in (C/n) but not anywhere else. Russia would want to get a hold of our rare minerals before the others do. It's a win-win!"

You looked at his document and nodded. That seemed about right. If the trade deal only had a few things left to be worked out, it shouldn't take a month, right? (B/n) noticed the worried look on your face.

"Hey now, don't overthink it. Everything's going to go according to plan." He patted your back before going back to editing. You looked back out the window, wondering if his words were true.

***

Ivan was currently talking to his boss as he awaited your arrival.

"So when should I go to the Kremlin to meet (C/n) on time?"

"Actually, I want them to come to your house first. Send one of your men to accompany them on the train to your place. They'll be meeting with me first so that I can intimidate them a bit before leaving them with you and their boss with me." Ivan paled.

"So it'll just be (Y/n) and me here with the others?"

"Yes, their boss wants them to get along with you without his help. Don't disappoint me. Their jet just landed, send your servant on the train." The President hung up as Ivan sighed. He had rooms prepared for you and your boss, decorated with the colors of your national flag. He'd even picked out clothes in the same colors. Hopefully you would find it nice. For now, he'd have to focus on getting you to his house. He called for one of the Baltics.


	2. Landing

You were shaken awake by (B/n).

“Wake up (Y/n), we’re in Russia!” You peered out your window, and, sure enough, the onion top buildings near the Kremlin waited in the distance. You quickly got your things together. The Russian president would not want to be kept waiting.

Wrapping a scarf around your neck to protect you from the cold, you hopped out of the plane. (B/n) encouraged you to stand up a bit straighter and hold your head up to show confidence. You tried to explain to him that confidence was not something you possessed at the moment as the two of you were cleared by security.

“Well, fake it till ya make it, (Y/n).” He patted you on the back as the massive doors of the complex were opened by attendants. You tilted your head slightly upwards as one of them led you up the hall along a fancy carpet. Grand paintings of deceased leaders of Russia hung on the wall. A photo of the tragic Romanov family greeted you as you rounded the corner down another long hallway.

Finally, you reached a room guarded by two identically-dressed soldiers. They nodded at your guide and opened the doors. (B/n) stepped forward into a large yet empty meeting room with a polished wooden table. Standing before it was the Russian president with an interpreter. (B/n) shook his hand before gently nudging you forward. The Russian president took your hand in a firm grip and shook a bit harder than you were expecting. As you slowly retracted your hand, you noticed that Russia himself was absent. The foreign president noticed you looking around as you took a seat at the table.

“Ah, you are looking for the personification.” His voice did not match his cold demeanor, and you were surprised to hear him speak your native language. “He is at his home, where you will be staying.” Your eyes widened and you looked at (B/n). He spoke to the president in Russian.

“This is a surprise for them.” The president nodded and smiled.

“You will stay with him while we finalize the deal.” (B/n) pulled out his laptop and began speaking to the interpreter. You sat a bit awkwardly as the 3 men conversed back and forth. You caught bits and pieces of the Russian words, things like “transport” and “goods”. Counting the tiles on the ceiling quickly grew boring. The curtains on the windows had been drawn shut, blocking your view of the colorful buildings. The discussion had gone on for about 5 minutes when there was a small knock on the door.

“Yes?” asked the Russian president. The door opened to reveal a short boy that couldn’t have been older than 15. His voice trembled as he spoke.

“I was sent by Mr. Russia to get Mx. (C/n)?” He barely lifted his gaze from the floor. You raised your hand.

“You mean me?” He finally looked up at you and nodded.

“Your bags are already on the train.” You looked back to (B/n) who nodded and placed a hand on your shoulder.

“Go ahead. See you in a couple of weeks.” With one last reassuring squeeze, he sent you into the hall with the boy. It was eerily silent save for your footsteps. You seemed to tower over him.

“So, what's your name?” you asked in an attempt to make him feel more comfortable with you.

“My name is Raivis.” He seemed to have calmed down more since he escaped the heavy gaze of the Russian president. You could relate. The whole time in there, you felt like a child at the adult’s table. Raivis walked you out to the awaiting train. Two soldiers guarding the doors stepped aside to allow you in.

The train was warm, a contrast to the biting cold of the outdoors. The train began to move slowly just as large snowflakes began falling from the gray sky. Raivis had gotten comfortable in a seat on the train, reading a book. You got out your phone and checked your calendar that your boss had set up for you.

This week had been labeled “introductions”, followed by “developing friendship” and “establishing a partnership”, with the final week of your trip labeled “solidifying friendship...or more ;).” You rolled your eyes at the last label and closed your phone. (B/n), always trying to plan your life. You liked him more than the last leader, but sometimes he would be too invasive. The train continued on, chugging out into the countryside. There were some directional signs here and there, all in Russian. The fact that you didn’t really know where you were going scared you a bit.

Soon, you left the packed city area out into empty snow-covered plains. All around you outside was white and a darkening gray as the sun began to lower itself in the sky. Raivis was still reading, off in his own world. He’d probably been through here a thousand times. It wouldn’t have been so offputting if you were with (B/n) right now. You were homesick. Your heart sank a bit as you thought about how far you were from the familiar landscapes of (C/n).

The movements of the train eventually lulled you to sleep.

***

**(Brief mention of underage drinking coming up, nothing extra just a quick heads up)** You woke up about a half-hour later. There was more snow around the area, and the plains were flat as far as the horizon. You looked around the train, seeing it was just you and Raivis. The boy was sipping from a flask while looking out the window, having not noticed you. This confused you; wasn’t he still a high schooler? He finally saw you staring at him, sheepishly closing the bottle and tucking it away.

“Sorry!” You shook your head and waved it off.

“It’s okay just...be careful with that stuff. How’d you even get that?” He shrugged.

“Friends.” You nodded at this vague answer.

“So, you are supposed to be meeting with Mr. Russia for business?” he asked.

“I guess? My boss wants me to get along with him so that we can have an alliance. What’s he like?” Raivis shivered.

“He seems really nice a lot of the time, but he can be very scary. It’s like he has this aura or something that sucks the air out of the room.” That did not help to calm your nerves. Your fingers tightened around the hem of your shirt as your thoughts led into dark places.

_What if I upset him? This far out in the middle of nowhere, it wouldn’t be difficult for me to just ‘disappear’. Or what if he actually likes me a lot and Russia decides to try and take over (C/n)?_

You shook your head and looked out the window to clear your mind; there was still nothing but snow and sky. Your phone buzzed with a text from your boss.

“The Russian president said that you’ll be arriving soon. Remember, put on a brave face and show him you mean business! :)”


	3. Chapter 3

You were expecting the Russian personification to live in a small town, or a village at the very least. You were not expecting the train to stop at a massive house in the middle of nowhere. Raivis ushered you off the train, and two men met you at the doors. The taller of the two greeted you with a smile and a nod.

“Hello, I’m Eduard.” The other man, a brunet, spoke up as well.

“And I’m Tolys.” You nodded and introduced yourself, wrapping your scarf tighter around your neck as you grabbed one of your bags. The trio began leading you down the path to the large house.

The place looked like it had been built around the early 1900s, with some black spires standing above the rest of the roof structure. It looked well-maintained, some parts looking like newer renovations. The stairs in the front were the same black as the spires and the rest of the accents to the otherwise dull gray house. Eduard opened the door for you. After thanking him, you stepped inside.

The interior was just as old-fashioned as the outside, with traditional rugs and antique furniture in the main room. You hung your coat and scarf on the rack and held your bag close to your chest. Raivis urged you to sit on the couch with him and the other men while you all waited for Russia. The couch was old yet plush and soft. It was weirdly welcoming, reminding you that you were in his home, not some office building. Eduard leaned back on the couch. You could tell he was the more easygoing of the three young men by the way he spoke.

“So, (C/n), you’ll be here for a while. Are you excited?” You shrugged, readjusting your bag by your feet.

“I’ve never been here before, so I don’t know. You can just call me (Y/n), I’m more comfortable with that.” He nodded.

“If you ever need anything, you know who to call,” he said with a wink. It was almost like there were sparkles surrounding him as he posed. Tolys spoke up.

“Yes, if Russia ever gets too much for you, I can distract him or try to talk to him.”

“Thanks, but I hope there’s no need for that.” The dark thoughts came back, bringing terrifying images of the tall Russian looking down at you with a sickly sweet smile. Your thoughts were interrupted by that same Russian standing in the center of the room.

“Hello (C/n).” You nearly let out a screech in surprise when he started speaking to you. You rose quickly to greet him properly with a small bow, trying not to tremble in his presence.

“Hello Mr. Russia," you managed to get out. (B/n)’s words came back to you, and you slowly lifted your head to meet the personification’s gaze as he spoke again.

“Please, call me Ivan. We are meant to be friends!” He gave you a firm handshake, but you squeezed his hand a bit tighter to assert your dominance. The others watched nervously as he squeezed your hand even tighter. The two of you increased your grip until you felt like Ivan was going to break your fingers. You finally relented, smiling and shaking your hand away before you got hurt. Ivan returned your smile, spreading his arms wide.

“Welcome to my house! Please, make yourself at home.” He led you into the kitchen, where dishes of steaming food had been laid across the long dinner table. The variety of aromas and colors delighted your senses. Your stomach growled, reminding you of your missed lunch. You were grateful when you were invited to take a seat. Before you had settled in, though, you remembered your bag.

You excused yourself from the table to grab your bag from beneath your chair to retrieve the gifts you brought.

“For you,” you said, handing out some chocolates and other treats from your native (C/n), as well as little snowglobes and pretty pictures of the cities and landscapes. The nations gathered at the table smiled at the notion and thanked you. You were glad (B/n) reminded you about bringing gifts. You finally sat back down at the table, waiting for the others to be seated as well.

“You’ve had a long journey (Y/n), enjoy and relax.” You thanked him once again before tucking in to a salad. The mayonnaise and potatoes surprised you a bit, but they went well with the other ingredients. It was considerably heavy for a salad. You looked at the big bowl of borscht that was sent your way next. Ivan seemed excited for you to try his nation’s food.

“I left out the beef in this recipe just in case you did not eat meat, so I had to make up for the lost proteins with more vegetables!” You took a bite, finding that the cool dollop of sour cream at the top supported the flavor of the beets and other vegetables. You happily enjoyed the dish before wiping any red from your mouth with a napkin. Your stomach swelled in approval and satisfaction. Eduard spoke up.

“You look so full already when we’ve only just begun.” You looked at him with concern as another course was brought out. Wearily, you took up your fork once more.

“I could never forgive myself if I were to let you go hungry in my house.”

_Don’t worry, I won’t, _you thought to yourself.__

__***_ _

__It was oddly quiet at the dinner table, save for Ivan encouraging you to try more and more food. The other three watched. It felt a bit like an inspection, like they were all analyzing you to see if you passed the politeness test. You didn’t refuse any food in fear of offending him, but you were definitely nearing your limit. As another soup was being sent towards you, you politely held up your hand and remembered what (B/n) told you to say._ _

__“I wish I could accept, it was all very good, but I am very full.” Ivan nodded and placed the bowl down._ _

__“Of course. I am so glad you enjoyed.” He and the others stood, you following suit and picking up your empty dishes._ _

__“Can I assist you in cleaning up?” He seemed puzzled by this._ _

__“The Baltics can handle it.” You looked over at Raivis, who appeared to be struggling to balance all the dishes. You helped him, taking some into your arms._ _

__“At least let me help Raivis.” Ivan’s eyebrows raised in surprise when you mentioned the boy by name. He nodded._ _

__“I suppose so. Then I will join you all in the kitchen.”_ _

__The five of you headed into the kitchen, you and Ivan working on washing, Eduard working on drying, and the others putting everything away. Ivan hunched over the sink, his heat warming you as he stood close. You stole quick glances at him every few seconds. He seemed very concentrated on cleaning, and you did the same._ _

__Once everything had been washed and put away, Ivan turned to you._ _

__“I would invite you to come sit with us for a while before bed, but I know you must be very tired after your trip.” You were about to protest, but he cut you off. “Please, get some rest.” You relented, allowing Eduard to lead you upstairs to a room set aside for you._ _

__“Goodnight, Ivan.”_ _


	4. Warned and Welcome

The large room at the end of the long hallway was very...you, to say the least. The king-sized bedsheets were decorated with a pattern print of your nation’s flag, while a full-sized flag hung over the bed on the wall. The bed was situated between two windows, both with heavy curtains to block light if you wanted to sleep in. There was a small table and chair beside the bed. A tray of candies and tea bags rested on the table, as well as a small teacup and pot. Eduard stepped to the side, allowing you to explore the room further.

An intricately carved wardrobe sat on the wall to your left with your bags sitting beside it. Upon opening it, you found an interesting array of clothing. Traditional Russian clothes alongside some traditional garments from (C/n). Some robes and fluffy bedroom slippers as well as a pair of heavy snow boots were included in the collection. You closed the closet and looked at Eduard.

“Does Ivan usually do all of this?”

“Sometimes. But, between you and me, I think he went all out to impress you,” he said with a smile. You returned the smile, going to look at the bathroom. On the way in, you noted a small electric fireplace heater by the door.

Unsurprisingly, the bathroom was sparkling clean and mostly unremarkable. A large circular bathtub with little jets sat in the corner with different scented soaps lined up on the edges. _That will be fun to use later,_ you noted. You came back out of the bathroom to see Eduard turning on the lamp beside your bed.

“Will you be alright on your own?” he asked. You waved him off and nodded. He started to leave but stopped just short of the door. “Also, if you need anything, my room is right next door.” You nodded again.

“Thank you.” Eduard gave you a casual salute before leaving, closing the door behind him. You looked around the thoughtfully decorated room before plopping onto the plush bed. It was soft and smelled of fresh linen. You almost fell asleep but you remembered that you needed to text (B/n). You sat up to dig through your bags and grab your phone. You had a few missed texts from him.

_“Heyyyyy (Y/n), how’s it going in the cold place?_

_Things must be going great since you’re not compulsively checking my texts._

_Send pictures of your dinner!_

_Don’t stay up too late now.”_

You sighed with a smile before replying to him.

_“Everything’s great, I ate a ton at dinner and got along with everyone, now I’m gettin ready for bed.”_ You sent the text before getting an almost instant reply.

_“That’s great, I’ll be on the plane back home tomorrow! Gn (Y/n) :D !!”_

_“Gn.”_ Your heart sank a bit as you remembered how far he would be once he left in the morning. Thoughts of being left alone plagued you as you changed into your pajamas and crawled under the covers. You couldn’t trust these people just yet...right? Well, that wasn’t exactly true. You trusted Raivis, and he seemed to trust you enough. Same for Eduard and Tolys. And you’d eventually trust Ivan as soon as you both tried to stop asserting dominance over each other. That made you laugh as you remembered how the two of you tried to shake each other’s hands until one had to quit. You wouldn’t be that one next time.

You found yourself falling asleep much easier than you had imagined, feeling at home despite (C/n) being hundreds of miles away.

***

You woke up feeling well-rested and content. You sat up and looked around the room before panicking for a second. What is this place? Oh, right. You grabbed your phone fom the table and checked your notifications. (B/n) had left an hour ago, apparently. You sighed a bit before noticing a note sitting on a pile of clothes next to the tray of candies. That hadn’t been there last night. You read the little paper.

_“Good morning (Y/n). I see you chose to sleep in and I did not wish to disturb you, so I left you some clothes. Please bathe and dress at your own pace, and then you are encouraged to join us for breakfast. -Ivan”_ You smiled and grabbed the clothes, deciding to take a shower.

The smell of fruity lotion filled the room as you finished cleaning up and went to put on the clothes Ivan had given you. They were a bit loose but fit comfortably. Red little Slavic patterns and designs lined the hems of the blue shirt that reached your thighs. You took the red belt with a similar pattern and tied it around your waist before pulling on the pair of black pants. Examining yourself in the bathroom mirror, you quite liked how it had an old Slavic feel with a modern design. You put your bedroom slippers back on after remembering the rule about shoes in the house and headed out of the bathroom.

You were not expecting a woman in a navy dress with long blonde hair to be standing directly outside the door with a dark aura surrounding her. You screeched a little and jumped back as she lunged at you. With her face so close to yours, you could recognize those dark blue eyes as those of Ivan’s sister, the personification of Belarus. Her eyes bored into your soul as she backed you up into the wall.

“Don’t you try anything with my big brother…” You gave her a baffled look before furiously shaking your head.

“I’m here for business, I swear!” You held up your hands in surrender. Someone else ran into the room.

“(Y/n), are you alright?” Tolys asked, looking around before he spotted the woman. “Natalya! Don’t threaten the guest!” She reluctantly stepped away from you. Tolys sighed in relief, putting a hand on your shoulder. “Are you alright?” You nodded, standing up straight. He sighed before going to the door. “Let’s go to breakfast, shall we?” You and Natalya followed him back downstairs.

Ivan was at the table with the other Baltic personifications and a woman with short blonde hair. Ivan gestured for you to sit between him and her at the table laden with food. She stood up and gave you a tight hug, suffocating you a bit as she pulled you into her chest.

“I’m the Ukraine, but you can call me Katyusha!” She finally released you. You gasped as you sat down in your seat. Ivan patted your shoulder.

“I see you already met Belarus, I hope you enjoy your time here, since my sisters will be staying to see you, too!”


	5. New Starts

You decided to get acquainted with Ivan’s sisters. Katyusha had introduced herself to you already, Natalya, less so. The former was very happy to see you, it seemed. She wanted to try you on a thousand different outfits, showing you all kinds of interesting combos on her phone. Then she started talking about food again, and you felt full before you even started your breakfast. Eduard noticed your discomfort and spoke up.

“Maybe we should go light on breakfast so that we can actually move around today?” The others at the table laughed but agreed. Tolys told some jokes, and you laughed along with the others like a big family at breakfast. Raivis came out of nowhere with a political joke. You started to choke on your orange juice while Katyusha patted your back. You thanked her and took a deep breath.

“I thought the poison would work this time,” Natalya mumbled just loud enough for you to hear. She laughed it off, but the other expressions at the table told you that this was more than just a joke.

Breakfast passed by quickly, full of giggles and various choking incidents. You learned some more about Ivan’s sisters, turns out there was so much more than what meets the eye. Their personalities were...interesting, to say the least. You immediately found Katyusha very likable, while Natalya would take some getting used to. You dabbed at your mouth with a napkin while Ivan spoke.

“Now, (Y/n), I would like for you to join me in my office to handle some business matters.” You nodded, curious as to why he phrased it like that.

After helping clear the breakfast table, you followed him into his office down a hallway. The room was small and a monochromatic gray, but neat and organized.

“So uh, what were you planning on discussing?” When he closed the door behind you without saying a word, you grew worried. Your anxieties mounted even higher when he took the telephone in the room off of its hook. He did a once around the room again before locking the door. You anchored yourself to your spot, balling up your fists lightly.

“What’s all this for?” He gave you an apologetic look before sitting down at his desk. He gestured for you to sit in the chair facing towards it.

“I’m sorry, I just- I know what your boss is expecting, and I know what mine is, too. I don’t want you to worry about that. The trade deal is secure, as long as we can get along. We can do that, da?” You hesitantly sat down and nodded.

“I don’t see why not. Why do you need to lock the door and stuff, though?” You glanced back nervously at the door.

“I noticed you prefer to be away from larger groups, and intimate settings with no distractions are a favorite of mine as well.” A nod was sent his way as you readjusted in the seat to get a bit more comfortable. He folded his hands and propped his head up. “Now, why don’t you tell me about yourself? Your history, your background?” You shrugged.

“I grew up in (C/n), I didn’t really associate with the other nations though. I spent most of my time wandering around (C/n) and befriending the people there. I barely caught on to Industrialization with the rest of the world.” He nodded again.

“Any family?” You avoided his gaze as he asked that question.

“N-not really. I mean, people in the towns always saw me as a welcome guest, but I would usually be with my leaders. Humans live such short lives, I always seem to get attached, and then they’re gone.” A lump formed in your throat as you thought of (B/n). Ivan nodded, sitting up a bit straighter,

“I know how you feel. I remember the little Romanov children, their time was only half a blink in the span of our lives.” You noted the pained look in his eyes, and at that moment, you realized there was nothing left to be scared of. Your heart rate slowed as you turned it over in your mind.

“You and I aren’t so different, it seems.” He responded with a soft smile and you noticed the soft purple of his eyes. “Why don’t you tell me more about your life, since I’ve met most of your close family.” He sat back in his chair and closed his eyes.

“It is...complicated. I am not too close with my boss, as you see, but I would not be here without them throughout time. Life was always hard, you see. Every year, the winter comes, and every year, there is nobody to help me keep warm but myself. Katyusha gave me this scarf, but nothing can replace the warmth of a real friend.” You looked at him with sympathy, but also confusion. Why was he opening up to you like this? Clearly, he trusted you, but how did he get so comfortable with you so soon? You finally spoke again.

“The years are very hard when spent alone. I should know.” A tiny sigh fell from your lips as you stared past him. You understood now why (B/n) had sent you here. But now wasn’t the time to think about him. No, now would be for you to make a name for yourself by engaging with Ivan and forging something more than a political or economic alliance, Now was a time for bonding. You leaned back in your chair.

“How did you feel about the global age?”

***

After about an hour, you emerged from Ivan’s office with a better understanding of this cold nation in which you were staying. He told you some things that shocked you, some that made you uncomfortable, but it was all part of the better person he is now. At the moment, you were sitting on the couch. Also there was Tolys and Katyusha.

There was a newspaper on the coffee table, but it was written in Russian. By the time you would have been finished translating it all, the newspaper would no longer be new.

Katyusha noted the glances you kept giving the paper before she picked it up and went to sit by you. You were absolutely baffled when she began reading it out to you in English (or your native language).

“Yesterday, officials from (C/n) met with the Russian president to finalize a trade deal surrounding technology, weapons, and minerals.” She showed you a picture of (B/n) and the Russian president sitting together, shaking hands. You thanked her as she turned the page. This one had a picture of you on one side, and Ivan on the other with several question marks.

“What are these questions?” you asked. She skimmed through the paragraphs before coming up with a summary,

“These are questions that people have about you. They want to know how many wars you’ve fought in, any past alliances, connections, so on and so forth.” She smiled up at you. “They put a note in here asking for an interview with you and Ivan.” Your eyes widened and you instinctively went to fiddle with your hands.

As she said that, Ivan walked into the room.

“I read that earlier. Would you be willing to go, (Y/n)?” You rested your hands in your lap, meeting his eyes.

“I don’t see why not…” He gave a childish smile before going back to his office to set it up. Katyusha patted your hands before you tied them into knots.

“Do not worry! It will go well.” You heard Ivan call your name before yelling for Eduard.

“Eduard! How do you work a Zoom call?” The Estonian man entered the office as you sat in the chair beside Ivan. A laptop had been set up on the desk, and Ivan was struggling to operate the application needed for the video chat. You watched Eduard pull up a chair and expertly run the Zoom call.

“All you have to do is press the button, and you’re in. Hope that helped.” He winked at you as he stood up to leave. You smiled and waved at him as he closed the door behind him. Ivan readjusted his large pink scarf (that you hadn’t seen him take off yet) as the video call loaded.

The journalist hosting the call looked a bit shocked to see you and Ivan sitting on the other end with bright smiles. He started to speak your language, having a bit of trouble.

“Hello Mx. (C/n) and Mr. Russia. I am very pleased to meet you. How are you?”

“I’m feeling very well, thank you,” you smiled. Ivan gave a similar response as the other man grabbed a clipboard.

“You don’t mind if I broadcast these next few questions, do you?” The two of you in Ivan’s office shook your heads. He began to ask questions, mostly the same ones Ivan had asked you earlier. You answered these with a bit more confidence than you had expected of yourself.

Then he got to questions about the country itself.

“So, what was your role in the Second World War?” You felt your face heat up a bit and rubbed the back of your neck.

“Military-wise, none at all, but we did take in any refugees who fled to the nation during and after the conflict.” He nodded.

“And, you had no involvement in the Cold War?” You shook your head again.

“How did you meet Mr. Russia, then?” Ivan looked at you and hid his smile.

“My boss really wanted me to put myself out there and be recognized by other nations, so he sent me to meet who he thought was one of the biggest and best out there.” The man glanced back at his notes.

“Mr. Russia, what was your reason for meeting with Mx. (C/n)?” He considered his words carefully.

“Their boss reached out to mine with the proposal for a trade deal that would benefit both parties. Then he reached out to me in good faith to ask me if I would be willing to host (Y/n) in my home to promote early positive interactions between the cultures of both countries and personifications. And of course, I agreed, they seemed very nice and in need of support, and I was right.” The man nodded, making a note on his clipboard. You smiled over at Ivan and squeezed his hand that was resting on his knee.

The interviewer asked a few more questions before he wrapped it up.

“Thank you for your time. Welcome to Russia, Mx. (Y/n).” You nodded and waved as the call ended. You and Ivan looked at each other again before busting out into laughter.

“Why did you say it like that?” you asked. He put his hand to his mouth to hold back another giggle.

“I had to be professional, of course.” He made a serious face before the two of you fell into fits of laughter once again. Well, you weren’t expecting to be laughing like this with who you once thought was the scariest personification, yet here you are.


	6. Workdays

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the shorter chapter, I will make up for it in the next one!

The next few days consisted of your least favorite task: paperwork. You and (B/n) used to sit in his office together to sign off on various agreements and the like, enjoying the silence between the two of you. Since you and Ivan operated two entirely different nations, you couldn’t really work together. You doubted that you would be able to understand his work, with all the Russian words you didn’t understand yet. Just trying to read his Russian cursive in the handwritten documents gave you a headache.

You’d spent most of this time at the desk in your room, going through files that (B/n) needed you to work on. Every morning, a new type of candy and a bowl of fruits waited on the little table beside your bed. It was always nice to read the little notes Ivan sent up, too.

At the moment, you were struggling not to fall asleep on your laptop. Your eyes were going square from reading the same numbers over and over again. The computer had nearly died when your phone ringing finally snapped you out of your trance. You didn’t read the caller ID, so (B/n)’s loud, cheery voice surprised you.

“Priveyet, (Y/n)! How’s it going is Roosiya?” You chuckled at his awful pronunciations.

“It’s all great, here. Ivan and I are getting closer.”

“Oooh~? Closer, you say? You won’t forget about me, right (Y/n)?” You rolled your eyes.

“Of course not, you baby. How’s everything in (C/n)?” He gave you some basic updates in his usual dramatic fashion. He irritated you from time to time, but it was always nice to hear his voice.

“That’s good to hear, then. I gotta admit, I miss you.”

“Of course you do! In all seriousness, though, I miss seeing you every day in the capital.” There was a ringing telephone in the background. “Well, that’s my cue. I do miss you always having me covered here.”

“It’s okay, you go ahead. I love you.”

“I love you too. Catch you around, Mx. (C/n).” You hung up and stared at your reflection in the phone screen for a few minutes before you looked back up at the computer. Your fingers seemed to fly over the keys a bit faster, and the task of going through all those pages seemed less daunting. Maybe you could turn your longing for (B/n) into motivation to get this work done.

***

A few hours later, you were able to slam the “complete” button. You sighed, drained. It felt like the concept of time itself had fallen away, so you had no idea what time it was.

You’d finally figured out your way into the kitchen only to find the room was pitch black. A tiny sliver of light poured in from the living room around the corner. You tiptoed in to see Ivan sitting on the couch by a round golden metal contraption, not facing you. The clock read 3 AM. More surprising than the time was the fact that Ivan was knitting. You finally walked up to where he could see you.

“Ivan?”

“(Y/n), I heard you in the kitchen. Why are you up so late?” You rubbed the back of your neck.

“I lost track of time while working. I didn’t know you knit.” He shrugged.

“I just picked it up one day. Would you like some tea?” You nodded, and he leaned over to get a fancy little teacup and handed it to you. You watched him fill your cup halfway with tea from the pot resting atop the large metal object. He noticed you staring. “This is called a samovar. You put the teapot on top to be heated up by the fuel in the center of this round thing here, and then you use the water in from the tap here to dilute the tea.” He gently took your cup and filled it up the rest of the way with hot water.

After thanking him, you took a sip of tea. You couldn’t quite place the flavor, but it was a bit tangy and almost....spicy? He offered you what he said were sushki, dry tea biscuits shaped like skinny donuts. They were pretty bland but paired well with the full flavoring of your drink. Ivan smiled at the peaceful look on your face.

“It is nice to have a hot cup of tea after hard work in your first week.” Your eyes widened.

“It’s been a week already?” He nodded, sipping some of his own tea.

“It is appearing quite characteristic of you to lose track of time.” You rubbed the back of your neck for the second time, smiling sheepishly.

“You could say that...I’m used to (B/n) keeping me on track.” That's right, according to (B/n)’s schedule, this week would be for “developing friendship”. Your gaze fell towards the slippers on your feet as your mind drifted back to your phone call from earlier.

“You really miss him, da?” You nodded, meeting Ivan’s eyes again.

“I just have to remember that (B/n) sent me here so that I could be more independent and get to know you better.” He chuckled a bit, bringing his cup once again.

“I suppose I would know a thing or two about being alone and independent.” You choked on your tea a bit, putting a hand over your mouth. A voice spoke from the corner.

“The poison still didn’t work.” You jumped ten feet in the air before turning to see Natalya emerge from the unlit part of the room. Ivan sighed and set his tea down at the coffee table.

“Why do you feel the need to terrify my guest at all times?” She walked up to him as he stood.

“Because I love you, and I don’t trust them.” While the siblings dealt with their...issues, you inspected your tea to see if she had actually tried to poison you. Ivan was currently holding her back with a single hand as she tried to swat at him. You set your teacup down and watched in mild amusement. She eventually gave up and huffed at you before going upstairs, presumably to plot against you once more. Ivan sighed and gave you an apologetic look.

“I am sorry, (Y/n), she is very...protective, I guess you would say.” You waved it off.

“I don’t think there was any cyanide in my tea, but it’s gone cold anyway.” A yawn interrupted you. “I think I should get to bed.” He nodded, taking up his knitting needles again.

“Da, go ahead. See you in the morning.” You smiled at him before heading up to your room, falling asleep as soon as your head hit the pillow.


	7. The Nicest Snowman

After reading your morning note and showering, you put on some clothes from (C/n) and headed downstairs with a smile. You were greeted by the others at the table as you sat down and had a light breakfast. Raivis, sitting beside you, was speed-eating like his life depended on it.

He started choking and you pat his back.

“Is there a reason why you’re eating so quickly?” He looked apologetic.

“There’s a fresh layer of snow outside and Eduard challenged me to a battle outside.” Eduard did his signature smile from across the table, the imaginary sparkles coming back.

“Would you care to join us, (Y/n)? If you’re on my side, you’ll win for sure.” You looked at him, back to Raivis.

“I think he’ll need more help than you.” Ivan smiled as you talked with the two Baltics.

“Are you going to play in the snow? How nice! I’ll give you a headstart, then I’ll come out and the real fun will begin!” Raivis paled as he grabbed your hand to bring you upstairs with him.

“I hope Mr. Russia doesn’t play too hard, last time he started throwing ice.” You looked at him with fear.

“Huh? He what?” He waved it off and practically dragged you into your room.

“Get your coat and your boots because it’s cold!” You nodded, looking out the frosted window as you slipped the heavy jacket on. He was very adamant about putting on a scarf and mittens since you weren’t used to the Russian culture. Eduard waited outside your door with Raivis, and Tolys walked up. The others were dressed similarly, zipping up their jackets. You heard Ivan creeping through the hallway.

“Let’s go before he tries to bury us out there,” said Tolys. You nodded and hustled down the stairs with the others, going out the giant front doors.

The vast empty area outside the house was perfect for playing in the snow. It felt like you had been transported back into your childhood as you laid down to make snow angels with Raivis. The snow was powdery and soft as you started to spread your arms. His carefree giggles warmed your heart even as snowflakes fell and landed on your face.

Eduard and Tolys, meanwhile, were collecting snow and shaping it into bricks to build a wall of defense for the inevitable offense from Ivan. You looked over and they waved before getting back to their hard work. For now, though, you were just enjoying this time with Raivis, like (B/n) would want. You got up to look at your work. His snow angel looked so tiny compared to yours, and you laughed as you wiped the snow out of his blonde hair. He replaced his hat and flicked the little pom pom on top.

You found another area where you could start building the base of a massive snowman. Raivis was able to collect some little sticks and rocks and set them aside for when you put the head piece on. Tolys and Eduard joined in. Soon that the base already came up to your hip. Your gloves were damp and your nose was red and runny, but seeing the others in similar states helped you keep going as you rounded out the chest piece. Once the second piece was taller than Raivis, you were satisfied enough to begin the head piece.

The four of you worked together until you realized that none of you were tall enough to put the “face” on the snowman. You all looked at each other, looked at the faceless snowman, and back at each other. Raivis kept his gaze focused on Eduard until the latter sighed and held his hands out to try to pick him up. You helped him support Raivis by his legs so that the younger teen didn’t fall. He successfully put the stones on the face, only to realize there was no carrot. You put him back on the ground and sighed.

“Maybe Katyusha will let us get one from the--” You were cut off by a snowball hitting you in the face. You stumbled back, startled as you heard a loud “kol kol kol” in the near distance. The Baltic representatives went still, looking at you in sheer terror.

“Run!” You didn’t need Raivis to tell you twice as you were pelted by dozens of snowballs at once. Tolys pulled you beside him as he ducked behind the wall of snow that had settled into a more solid structure. You could hear the snowballs thud against the wall as Ivan kept throwing them. You looked at your companions wide-eyed. Eduard rubbed his mittens together.

“Time to create some ammo.” He started shaping snowballs and collecting them in a pile. You helped him with that while the other two took turns launching the snowballs over the wall and from the sides. Ivan didn’t seem too deterred, and your wall was starting to take damage from the constant abuse. You grabbed a large snowball and peeked your head above the wall. You were about to strike when you were hit in the face by a rather solid snowball. A more feminine cackle grated on your ears as you fell back down.

“Oh no, Natalya’s out there too!” came Tolys’ panicked cry.

“And she’s right outside our--” Raivis was cut off by the Belarusian charging into the wall of ice bricks, effortlessly destroying the weakened defenses. The four of you that had been hiding behind it screamed and started to run.

You managed to carry yourself farther than the others and got confident enough to start throwing snow at Natalya. You got her in the head right as she was about to push Raivis’ face into the snow. She stopped moving entirely, giving the boy time to scramble away. You were frozen where you stood as she turned ever so slowly.

By the time you reminded yourself to run, she was right on you. Something hit you in the back of the head and you closed your eyes. The next thing you knew, you were sliding across the ground, snow filling your open mouth. Natalya laughed.

“I told you I would get my revenge.” She picked your head up off the ground so that she could smirk in your face. You sighed in relief when you saw Ivan behind her before you realized that Ivan was the original reason you were running. He was holding a shovel piled high with snow. Before you could get to your feet, you were buried with Natalya.

It was cold, dark and increasingly damp as you tried to get up. After resorting to making snow angel movements, the snow had fallen off of you to where you stick your arms out. Tolys found you and helped you out.

“Thanks,” you said as you shook your coat. You noticed Natalya’s legs sticking out from under the pile that you had recently been trapped in. It almost reminded you of the wicked witch of the west. You and Tolys sighed before pulling her out by her ankles.

She gasped for air slightly before looking around from her seat on the ground. Her gaze finally landed on you and Tolys.

“Oh great, the last two I wanted to see. Where’s big brother?” The answer came from farther off, where Eduard was sprinting away from the tall Russian man as he chased him not with the shovel, but his “Magic Metal Pipe of Pain” you had only ever heard of in those terrifying rumors. You noticed that the shovel had been abandoned. Cold and soaked, you decided it was time for revenge.

Natalya, surprisingly, joined you and Tolys as you crept up on Ivan. You looked back at them before you dumped a pile of snow on top of his head. He stopped chasing Eduard, instead turning to look at you with that scarily childish smile.

“I’m so proud of you, (Y/n)! Now you’re brave enough to challenge me in battle!” You quickly dropped the shovel and backed away as the aura around him darkened.

“I-I-I uh…”

The sound of drums called your attention to the distance. Through the falling snow, you could see Katyusha running towards you with a carrot in her hand.

“I’m so sorry Raivis, I forgot to give you this for your snowman!” She had tears in her eyes as she approached your little group. Ivan looked down at her as she doubled over, panting. Raivis stepped up to her, wary of the tall man standing there.

“I-It’s okay Katyusha. Let’s just put the nose on the snowman and go inside.” Everyone else nodded and started walking back over to where the snowman had been before.

The sight that met you was like a crime scene; the footprints in the snow, the smashed snowman’s head on the ground, the broken stick arms. Your eyes widened.

“Wha...What happened?” Ivan put a hand to his mouth and giggled.

“We were having a war, of course, and someone got hurt.” He smiled until he noticed the disappointed look on your face. “Were you fond of Mr. Snowman?”

“Yes,” you all replied, irritated. He looked down.

“I’m sorry, here, let me help rebuild him.” You smiled slightly and joined him in the repair of your beloved snowman.

You had to admit, this one was better than the last. Ivan lifted Raivis onto his shoulders, and the boy put the carrot in place. You cheered along with the others. Ivan let him back down and tapped his mitten to his chin.

“Something is missing…” In a surprising move, he took off his scarf. An identical pink scarf was underneath, and he used the other one to wrap around the snowman’s neck.

“I never thought a snowman could look so...nice?” you said, standing next to him. The others came to admire the snowman with you as the snow finally came to an end. You shivered a bit. “I’m cold, can we go inside?” Ivan nodded, putting a hand on your shoulder and leading you inside.


End file.
